Station indicator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Bpl-WFH. vSTATION INDICATOR.

.'N=o. 375,348. Batented'Deo. 27, 1887.

mgl. Y l

4 Mgg# v MWW( @WITNESS/58.', /VVE/VTH MIM N. PETERS. Phwumumphr. washingmn. D. c.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. PYPE.

y STATION INDICATOR. y f No. 375,348. Patented Deo. 27, 1887.

ATTORNEY N. PETERS. Phmo-Lilhogmpher, kwashingmn, D. c.

' erating parts of the indicator.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT FYFE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

sTATl'oN-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,348, dated December 27, 1887.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT FYFE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful `Improvements in Station -Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in station-indicators, the object of the same being to provide an automatic device by means of which the name or names of ,stationsy of railroads will be indicated or shown to passengersoccupying any seat or position in the car. y

A further object is to provide a device of this character which shall be of few and simple parts, and at the same time durable and efficient in use; and with these ends in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a view,partly in section and partly in elevation, of my improved device. Fig.A 2 is a View, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the devices arranged below the car for operating the indicator. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of my improved device with the side of the car containing the box removed. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of a section of a car, showing the construction and arrangement of the parts located below the same for operating the de-l v1ce. Referring to the drawings, A represents the side of the car, B the top, and C the bottom thereof. In the center of the car, and attached or secured to the top or roof B thereof, is an inclosing box or frame, D, containing the op- Within this containing-box are two metallic strips, D', in which are journaled the ends of the shaft a, carrying the cylinder E, which in this case is provided with six sides, b, but which may be constructed with eight or more, as is found desirable. The opposite ends of each of the sides or faces b are provided with a small lng or projection, c, adapted to enter small holes provided in the ends of each of the cards or stripsl d, linked together into an endless apron, provided for the purpose of carrying the names or numbers of the stations.

Each of the cards or strips d is constructed of the same dimensions as the faces or sides b of the cylinder, so that when the cylinder is revolved with the apron, as hereinafter described, the cards or strips will lie hat thereon. The ends of the shaft a extend through the strips or supporting-frame D and have mounted thereon the disks F, which latter are provided with teeth or projections f in line with the center of each of the faces b of the cylinder. Below these disks F, and secured to each of the depending strips D', are two lugs or projections, a', pro- 65 vided with a central aperture, in which fit the verticalsliding rods G. The top of each of these rods is provided with a shoe or stop, g, the upper surface of which is formed into oppositely-inclined faces, as shown in Fig.A 4 ofv the drawings. Between the stop g and the uppermost of the lugs a is a spring, G, coiled around the rod G, the tendency of which is to keep the latter in its raised position and the stop bet-ween the projections f on the disks F. It will be understood from the above that when the cylinder E is revolved one of the projections f on each of the disks F will ride over one of the inclined faces of the stop g in accordance with the direction in which the cylinder is rotated and press the stop and rod down until such projection rides over the highest point of the stop,whereupon the spring G will immediately raise the rod and force the stop in between two of the projections f 85 and cause each of the faces on the cylinder to register with openings in the containing-box, as hereinafter described, and effectually removing all -danger of the cylinder revolving too far. l 9o To each of the depending metallic strips D are pivoted one end of the levers l, and to each of 'the latter are pivoted the levers K, which are provided on their lower ends with the shoulder k, adapted to engage with the projectionsf on the disks F. To` the levers K, and near the upper pivoted ends thereof, are secured one end of the springs lc', the opposite ends of which latter are secured to the respective metallic strips D and near opposite edges thereof. The tendency of these springs is to keep the levers K against the projections IOC f on the disks F.

` turned in the opposite direction.

on the opposite sides of their respective disks F for the purpose of allowing the cylinder to be rotated in either direction-as, for instance, when the lever I to the right is raised the shoulder on the lever K will engage with a projection on the disk F and turn the cylinder in one direction until the projection rides ofi' of such shoulders. At this moment the stop g, which has been forced downwardly by the revolution of the cylinder, again enters between two of the projectionsf and holds the cylinder stationary, as before described. If the lever I to the left is raised, thelever K, operating on the opposite side of the disk F,will turn the cylinder in the opposite direction. The lower ends of the levers K are cut away, so that in descending they will not engage with the teeth or projections on the disks F. rI`he levers I und K on being released in their raised position will be returned to their original positions through the medium of the springs k.

To the free end of each of the levers I is secured a chain or rope, m,which pass over pulleys secured to the top and one side of the ear and down through the floor of said car over the pulleys n.

To the under side of the car are secured the sliding rods M, which areguided in their movements by means of the pins on', fitting in the elongated slots n', formed in the rods. Each of the rods M is provided with a pulley, o, over which the ropes or chains pass after leaving the pulleys n. The ends of the chains are then secured to the under side of the car, as at o'. It will now be seen that when one of the rods M is moved outwardly the rope or chain passing over the pulley o will also be pulled outwardly, and thereby partially rotate the cylinder, as before described, the sp ring k' returning all the parts to their original position with the exception of the cylinder. When the other of the twosliding rods is moved outwardly, the rope attached to the other of the two levers I will be pulled and the cylinder In order to operate these rods M, I pivot to the under side of the car the two levers Rand join them at their center bya roller, p, fitting and traveling in an elongated slot, p. Theends of these levers extend out beyond the bottom of the car,and each is provided with a roller, q. One ofthe levers also rests between bearings r, secured to the ends of the sliding rods M. It will now be seen that by forcing either of the levers I? rearwardly or forwardly the sliding rods will be operated and the cylinder turned accordingly. If pushed forwardly,one of the sliding rods will be operated and the cylinder turned in one direction, and if pushed rearwardly the other rod will be operated and the cylinder turned inthe opposite direction. To operate the levers l?, I secure to the platform of the station,or to a post or other means provided for the purpose, a rounded block, R, with which the end of one of the levers I comes in contact when the train is starting for the next station.

sides or faces) will contain the names of the A same station. The inclosing-box is provided on two of its faces with openings s, through which the name of the station on the card can be seen. Through one of the openings scan be seen the name of the station on the upper side of the card, and through the opening on the opposite side of the box can ,be seen the naine on thelower side,whieh will be the same as on the card registering with the openingen the first side of the box.

It will now be seen that, no matter in what direction the train is run, the apron will travel back or forth in the cylinder when the latter is turned, and register the name of the station being approached on the two sides of the indicator, allowing all the passengers to see it.

On the under sides of the strips D', I secure curved guidingwires t, on which rest the ends of wires u, secured to every other card or strip d, by means of which the apron of cards will be folded on leaving the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 3.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A stationindicator constructed with the` cylinder E, having an endless apron of cards traveling thereon, the levers I, pivotcd at one end to support, and to which are pivotcd the levers K, their free ends adapted to engage with and rotate the cylinder, and horizontal levers P, arranged below and extending out beyond the car and connected with said levers I by ropes or chains, substantially as set forth.

2. In a station-indicator, the combination, with a supporting-frame, of the cylinder E, supported therein and having an endless apron of cards traveling thereon, the levers I, pivoted at one end to a support and having pivotcd thereto at their opposite ends the springactuated levers K, adapted to engage with and rotate the cylinder, levers I), arranged horizontally below the ear, and rods M, also placed below the ear, with which engage chains secured to the levers I and with which also engage the levers I), substantially as set forth.

3. In a station-indicator, the combination, with a rotating cylinder provided on its ends with disks F, of a stop for engaging with said disks, consisting of a sliding rod, G, provided on its ends with a shoe or stop for fitting between the teeth in said disk, and a spring for holding the rod and shoe in position, substantially as set forth.

4. In a station-indicator, the combination, with a supporting-frame, of the cylinder E, carrying the disks F and having an endless apron of cards traveling thereon, the levers I, pivotcd at one end to supports and having pivotcd thereto at their opposite ends the spring-actuated levers K, engaging with said disks, a stop also engaging with the disks for holding the cylinder stationary in its different IOO IZO

low the ear and connected with said levers by Vropes or chains, and levers l?, also arranged below the car and engaging with the sliding rods, substantially as set forth'. v

5. In a station-indicator, the combination, with a supporting-frame, of a cylinder carrying an endless apron of cards and provided on its ends with the disks F, the levers I, pivoted at one end to supports and having pivoted thereto at their opposite ends the springactuated levers K, the free ends of which engage With said disk and on opposite sides thereof at the opposite'ends ofthe cylinder, aspringactuated stop adapted. to engage with one of said disks, and levers P, arranged horizontally below the ear and connected with said levers I by means of the sliding rods M and ropes or chains, substantially as set forth.

6. In a station-indicator, the combination, 2o with a supporting-frame and a rotating cylinder supported therein and having an endless apron of cards traveling thereon, of levers I K, engaging with said cylinder, sliding rods M, provided with pulleys o and arranged below the car-bottom, ropes or chains secured'at one end to the ear-bottom and passed over said pulleys and connected at their opposite ends to said levers I, and levers P, arranged below the bottoni of the oar and engaging with `said sliding rods, substantially. as set forth.

Signed at'New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 8th day of June, A. D. 1887.

ROBERT FYFE. Witnesses:

GEORGE COOK,

FRED. C. RIEoKERs. 

